NSBA supports City Committee recommendation for further study on new downtown arena/convention centre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saskatoon, SK – A study commissioned by the SaskTel Centre and TCU Place Boards has recommended that the City of Saskatoon pursue building new assembly facilities (arena/conference centre) in a yet-to-be-determined downtown location. The NSBA encourages the City to continue evaluating the potential of this project and its benefits to the City’s downtown and potential future development and revitalization.

The NSBA is cautious with regards to the costs of this project but recognizes that investing in public infrastructure is a key role of the City as well as the potential negative economic impact of deteriorating entertainment facilities. The NSBA also encourages the City to view this project as more than “just an arena” but rather as the anchor of new development for downtown Saskatoon, similar to the effect Rogers Place has had on Edmonton’s downtown.

“As the saying goes, we don’t want to see the City throw good money after bad by putting new paint on the aging facilities that we currently have,” said Keith Moen, Executive Director of the NSBA. “We see an opportunity here to create a real economic impact on Saskatoon’s downtown and add to the already vibrant and energetic city core.”

The NSBA also notes that a downtown arena/convention centre project fits remarkably well with the City’s overall growth strategy. Projects that are currently being investigated or planned such as Bus Rapid Transit and rail relocation are already tailor-made for this type of project and breaking ground on new assembly facilities will also motivate other infill projects in the vicinity. The NSBA encourages the City to be thorough when evaluating funding sources for these infrastructure projects to ensure the cost to taxpayers is appropriate.

“Like with rail relocation, this project is an opportunity for the City to match a specific project to its growth and infill objectives,” said Moen. “As we noted before, the price tag for all of these projects will be costly but we believe that the timing is right for the City to move in this direction. Otherwise, as we have seen many times before in other cities, the costs will continue to rise and we will regret using a stop-gap measure instead of sticking to our collective vision of the future.”

For more information:The NSBA is a member-driven and focused business association in Saskatoon that serves, promotes and protects business throughout Saskatoon and beyond. The NSBA has recently rebranded to be known simply by its acronym – NSBA – to reflect its current membership which has grown considerably beyond Saskatoon’s north end. The NSBA has developed its mandate and reputation by being a relevant, topical and effective organization that interacts with all levels of government and industry on a variety of issues for the betterment of our local economy.